Table Tennis Cover- Protect Your Ping Pong Table

A table tennis cover is a must-have item in every table tennis player’s game room. A well-fitted cover can prolong the life of your table by shielding it from the elements, harsh changes in temperature/humidity, dust and grime. Read more about ping pong table covers, why you need them, and important points to consider when buying one.

Protect Your Investment

No matter how passionate you are about table tennis, the fact is that your table will often sit for days, weeks, and even months on end without seeing any action, gathering filth and dust. If you have an outdoor table, your problems are multiplied. When you consider that a good table can cost upwards of $500, it only makes sense to invest in a quality cover to give your table maximum protection and longevity.

No matter the brand or quality of table, changes in room temperature and humidity can wreak havoc with your ping pong table. Warping of the wood can be quite common, especially if the table is stored in a warm room. Often, the table surface will lose its adhesion, causing the ball to skid instead of bouncing smoothly. Further, an unprotected table might develop tiny cracks or knocks in the wood, which can affect the consistency of bounce, spin and speed offered by the table.

Keeping the table in direct sunlight can cause the paint to peel and fade. This has a detrimental effect on the gameplay. If you plan on keeping the table outdoors, you will need to make doubly sure that it is well protected; changes in weather can destroy even the most durable of tables.

Table Tennis Cover – Invest In Quality

For all these reasons, a table tennis cover should feature high on your priority list. These covers are typically made of synthetic materials like cordura nylon/PVC, etc. All prominent manufacturers like Butterfly, Joola, Cornilleau, etc. retail their own range of table tennis covers. The price for a quality cover is generally from $60 and up.

Most ping pong table covers are designed to be used when the table is in the upright (rollaway) position, although covers are available for static tables too (see photo below on right). The fit is a very important consideration when buying a cover. A poorly fitted cover will blow off in windy conditions, while a cover that fits too snugly won’t allow the wood to ‘breathe’ and may cause it to warp or crack. Because of this we recommended that you buy covers only from your table tennis table manufacturer itself.

The cover material is another very important factor. The material should be resistant to heat, UV radiation, water, wind, and sudden changes in temperature. Poorer quality covers will often crack when placed under direct sunlight. Some covers will stick to the table when wet and leak color or chemicals. This can easily ruin your table surface.

If you plan on keeping the table outdoors or live in a place with sudden temperature/humidity changes, consider investing in a high quality, heavy duty cover from a reputed manufacturer to make sure that your table stays in top condition.

A well fitted table tennis cover will also protect your table from dust and grime. In the upright position, a covered table will looks far better than an exposed, uncovered one. Thus, a cover is a must-buy item, even if it’s just for the sake of aesthetics.

Table Tennis Cover – Summary

Whatever your budget or requirement, a table tennis cover is a necessity. It will prolong the life of your investment, and keep the surface free of any chinks, cracks or changes in texture and color. If you are serious about this sport, a table tennis cover should be an automatic purchase.

In terms of price, we would recommend buying something from the top manufacturers. You can buy cheaper ones, but the quality may not be good and they will be liable to tear and crack. A cheap product will look cheap whilst a good quality table tennis cover can make your table look like it belongs in an Olympic stadium.